WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:11.960 --> 00:00:18.020 Welcome to Transformative Principal, where I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. 00:00:18.530 --> 00:00:20.030 I'm your host, Jethro Jones. 00:00:20.030 --> 00:00:22.700 You can follow me on Twitter at Jethro Jones. 00:00:22.700 --> 00:00:22.730 Okay. 00:00:35.198 --> 00:00:37.748 Welcome to the Transformative Principal Podcast. 00:00:37.748 --> 00:00:42.548 I am Jethro Jones, your host, and I'm very excited to have on the program today, Joel Levin. 00:00:42.848 --> 00:00:47.258 He is in his 15th year as an administrator and 25th year as a public educator. 00:00:47.618 --> 00:00:54.008 He's currently an equity and inclusion administrator for high schools in Eugene School District for J in Eugene, Oregon. 00:00:54.478 --> 00:01:00.778 His job is focused on removing barriers for students in high school through age 21 who experienced disabilities and autism. 00:01:01.378 --> 00:01:05.068 Joel has worked with students pre-kindergarten through age 21, his career. 00:01:05.098 --> 00:01:11.068 He started teaching as a middle school science teacher and branched out to administration in 2009. 00:01:11.608 --> 00:01:14.458 Joel has two children who are each about three years apart. 00:01:14.518 --> 00:01:22.318 They're currently in high school and college, and his hobbies include camping with his family, gardening, running, cooking, and martial arts. 00:01:22.868 --> 00:01:25.268 Joel, welcome to Transformative Principal. 00:01:25.768 --> 00:01:29.338 Uh, yes, always great to talk to you and, uh. 00:01:29.838 --> 00:01:32.358 We're gonna talk, uh, mostly about 00:01:32.478 --> 00:01:33.198 Great to talk to you. 00:01:33.468 --> 00:01:33.858 today. 00:01:34.308 --> 00:01:38.238 Uh, but tell me what was most valuable from our conversation for you. 00:01:38.738 --> 00:01:41.368 What I think is most valuable, thank you. 00:01:41.868 --> 00:01:46.548 Uh, about what we talked about today is that teachers, principals. 00:01:47.223 --> 00:01:49.413 Students all are involved 00:01:49.413 --> 00:01:55.203 in the transition services process and it's really about making sure that 00:01:55.203 --> 00:01:58.233 students feel heard and feel like they're a part of 00:01:58.233 --> 00:02:01.533 something, that they're developing their future as a 00:02:01.533 --> 00:02:02.103 student. 00:02:02.583 --> 00:02:04.173 That could be in a CTE 00:02:04.173 --> 00:02:06.603 classroom, or it could be, uh, 00:02:07.083 --> 00:02:08.163 working on independent 00:02:08.163 --> 00:02:10.413 living, but that they feel 00:02:10.413 --> 00:02:15.873 like they are a part of something and that they are steering themselves towards a future with 00:02:15.873 --> 00:02:16.473 success. 00:02:17.268 --> 00:02:17.808 Very good. 00:02:17.808 --> 00:02:21.438 I, for me, I think the big takeaway is the, uh. 00:02:23.538 --> 00:02:38.148 Even if we're talking about lots of different kids, every child has a unique and individual perspective that they go through as they go through school, and it's so important for that to be unique and tailored to what they specifically need. 00:02:38.568 --> 00:02:40.548 Uh, so lots of really good stuff. 00:02:40.973 --> 00:02:43.673 Joel has been on the podcast before. 00:02:43.673 --> 00:02:52.463 If you go to episodes 2 58 and 2 59, boy, Joel, that was 300 episodes ago, which is just crazy. 00:02:52.823 --> 00:03:04.668 Uh, you've been, I. I've known you for so long and so grateful for your friendship and your, uh, tireless efforts to always do great things for kids. 00:03:04.668 --> 00:03:10.758 So, links to those previous episodes will be in the show notes, and we'll get to my interview with Joel here in just a moment. 00:03:12.087 --> 00:03:19.317 So Joel, why don't you start by telling us about your, uh, work and what you do, uh, in your current role. 00:03:19.817 --> 00:03:20.207 Sure. 00:03:20.207 --> 00:03:20.777 Jethro. 00:03:20.867 --> 00:03:29.207 Yeah, so currently I work for Eugene School District four J in Eugene, Oregon as an equity and inclusion administrator. 00:03:29.717 --> 00:03:37.967 And, uh, I serve mostly students that are in high school as well as students that are 18 to 21 years old that receive transition services. 00:03:38.627 --> 00:03:47.327 And mostly what I do is serve students that are on an IEP or students that are on a 5 0 4 plan and need support in the classroom. 00:03:47.477 --> 00:04:05.717 The district wants me to work more closely with principals and general education teachers, as well as special education teachers and specialists to help everyone work more closely together to make inclusion happen in a more, uh, inclusive way, in a more effective way. 00:04:06.217 --> 00:04:13.482 Yeah, so one of the things that I'm really excited about talking with you about is transition services and, uh. 00:04:13.982 --> 00:04:22.202 Which is for students with disabilities who are going from high school to whatever their chosen, uh, pathway is. 00:04:22.412 --> 00:04:27.992 Can you talk a little bit about the transition services piece first to make sure that people understand it 00:04:28.014 --> 00:04:37.112 because high school leaders understand it for the most part, but it can be challenging for people who are, uh, not high school principals. 00:04:37.202 --> 00:04:39.662 Uh, tell us about what transition 00:04:39.722 --> 00:04:41.192 services typically look like. 00:04:41.692 --> 00:04:42.262 Sure. 00:04:42.562 --> 00:04:48.087 Well, as you and, um, some of the, uh, listeners may or may not know, um, IDEA 00:04:48.232 --> 00:04:59.752 is the law that governs special education for the students that are in our schools in the United States and part of IDEA states that we're responsible to help students become. 00:05:00.112 --> 00:05:02.902 Independent, successful citizens in our country. 00:05:03.382 --> 00:05:08.602 And so one of the big pieces to that is that we have to help students plan that out. 00:05:09.112 --> 00:05:20.512 And especially students that are in high school, and even students that are in eighth grade or that are about 14 years old, need to begin planning what that transition service is like for them. 00:05:21.232 --> 00:05:21.562 They have. 00:05:22.147 --> 00:05:39.877 Preferences and interests and strengths that all teachers that work with that student know about, and it's our job to help them shape that plan and design that future for them and help them become a successful, uh, person out there in the world. 00:05:40.377 --> 00:05:40.857 Yeah. 00:05:41.097 --> 00:05:41.577 Okay. 00:05:41.847 --> 00:05:43.497 Can you hear, hear me well still? 00:05:43.997 --> 00:05:44.702 I can, yeah. 00:05:44.732 --> 00:05:49.592 My microphone died while you were talking, so we'll just cut this part out. 00:05:50.372 --> 00:05:50.942 That's okay. 00:05:51.392 --> 00:05:53.722 Um, these things happen, uh. 00:05:53.812 --> 00:05:54.922 Do I need to say, okay, 00:05:54.922 --> 00:05:56.572 I, I got your stuff just fine. 00:05:57.202 --> 00:06:04.612 Um, so what, what I want to talk to you about specifically is this, uh, transition vision project. 00:06:04.612 --> 00:06:11.332 And tell me about what you are thinking for how you do transition differently than others might do it. 00:06:11.832 --> 00:06:12.372 Sure. 00:06:12.402 --> 00:06:24.822 Well, um, some of the aspects of transition that are important are that we need to make sure that students get the education and training that they need when they're in high school or when they're outside of high school. 00:06:25.152 --> 00:06:25.902 We need to help them. 00:06:26.592 --> 00:06:27.612 Become employable. 00:06:27.612 --> 00:06:36.462 So we teach them, uh, pre-employment skills and we also need to help them foster their own independence and self-advocacy skills. 00:06:36.882 --> 00:06:44.172 And in order to do that, they need to build, you know, their own self-determination and they have to also work on communication skills, et cetera. 00:06:44.802 --> 00:06:51.342 They have to plan for their future, but in order to do that, they need to have a team and they need to have programs that support that. 00:06:51.342 --> 00:06:51.702 Well. 00:06:52.242 --> 00:06:53.712 So one of the things that we. 00:06:54.492 --> 00:07:06.852 Have done in our district for a long time fairly well, is we've provided a lot of these transition services to our students in specialized programs that are separate from other students. 00:07:06.852 --> 00:07:11.472 I. This has been successful for a number of students in some ways. 00:07:11.892 --> 00:07:29.652 Uh, they learn, you know, for example, how to take care of an apartment because we have a program that actually is supportive of students learning how to do those independent living skills in an apartment like doing laundry and, um, taking care of a kitchen and cooking different meals that they learn. 00:07:30.162 --> 00:07:31.692 Um, but we also. 00:07:31.957 --> 00:07:34.537 Um, try and get students to job sites. 00:07:34.627 --> 00:07:42.397 And those job sites are really key and important in helping students develop those pre-employment skills as well as communication skills. 00:07:43.027 --> 00:07:50.437 Uh, we have two separate programs in our district and one of the programs serves students who sometimes already have a job. 00:07:51.097 --> 00:07:57.727 And then the other one is serving students who may be more impacted by their disability and don't have a job yet, and. 00:07:58.107 --> 00:08:09.687 When I saw that we had these two separate programs, when I started this, this position three years ago, I made the decision that we need to unify those, uh, two different programs. 00:08:10.167 --> 00:08:24.807 And I worked hard on that and brought in a lot of different people to become, become like more involved and create a, a unified vision on how to include more students together, uh, in and not have separate programs. 00:08:25.017 --> 00:08:26.187 But in addition to that. 00:08:26.622 --> 00:08:38.412 To really come up with a set of values that we have in our community, uh, and a and a program that has a set of values that drives the transition programs in our community. 00:08:38.412 --> 00:08:47.322 So I brought folks together in the fall to talk about what our values are and to create a pathway process. 00:08:47.322 --> 00:08:53.832 So, a pathway process is kind of a, a, a way of visioning programming, um, for. 00:08:54.672 --> 00:09:01.602 Uh, set of students and it's been used in some of, um, our other districts in our state. 00:09:02.232 --> 00:09:10.422 Um, one of the cool things about transition is that there's lots of people in our state that support transition services in Oregon. 00:09:10.422 --> 00:09:10.752 There's um. 00:09:11.547 --> 00:09:14.037 Uh, something that's called Thetan Network. 00:09:14.037 --> 00:09:21.207 And I can't remember what all of the, uh, letters stand for in that, but there's definitely transition in there and there's definitely network in there. 00:09:22.167 --> 00:09:37.097 Uh, and, uh, thetan Network, um, has a, a. A series of, um, trainings that they do for staff and they also have, uh, transition network facilitators and we had a transition network facilitator come and do work with us. 00:09:37.187 --> 00:09:43.007 This person directly serve students in schools as well as helping to do visioning and other projects. 00:09:43.187 --> 00:09:50.447 And I brought up, uh, this gentleman who works in our county to support us in that visioning process. 00:09:50.477 --> 00:09:53.327 And he walked us through this process to help our. 00:09:53.852 --> 00:09:54.632 Staff. 00:09:54.692 --> 00:10:02.102 Think about first of all, what are our values and what are our North Star, um, things that we're trying to accomplish? 00:10:02.102 --> 00:10:08.342 What is it that we wanna see, uh, for our students that live in our community, uh, to become more successful? 00:10:08.762 --> 00:10:11.972 And then what's possible for our students? 00:10:11.972 --> 00:10:13.742 What are the things that we need? 00:10:14.552 --> 00:10:28.952 And who do we need to be involved in those, uh, building up of those proc practices and projects that we're, we're working on to unify these students and what do we wanna see at the end once we're stronger, once we've built a unified program. 00:10:29.042 --> 00:10:38.042 So he helped us through that process and helped us really design, um, our first stages of, of this, um, pretty exciting vision. 00:10:38.057 --> 00:10:43.607 Yeah, I, I think that it's pretty cool and I, I'm glad that you're doing something like this. 00:10:44.177 --> 00:10:48.287 The thing that is, is so challenging is that this is a very small. 00:10:48.777 --> 00:10:52.227 Percentage in most districts, less than 10% of their students. 00:10:52.767 --> 00:11:00.087 That requires a lot of time and energy to create and provide these types of services. 00:11:00.387 --> 00:11:04.467 Um, and, and so a lot of people would say, well, you know, there's. 00:11:04.967 --> 00:11:13.997 not that many kids, so maybe it's not as necessary, but these kids have a future and a life as well, so, so it's definitely worth it. 00:11:14.297 --> 00:11:20.537 But what, what else is there that's driving you to, to make these changes? 00:11:21.037 --> 00:11:21.487 Sure. 00:11:21.847 --> 00:11:27.697 Well, one of the things that I think is so exciting about, um, this project is that. 00:11:28.402 --> 00:11:35.362 We try to include a lot of general education staff as well as special education staff when we did this visioning. 00:11:35.872 --> 00:11:41.752 So that includes, uh, folks that are part of the CTE community or career technical education. 00:11:42.262 --> 00:11:55.552 And one of the big drivers in our state, uh, in transition these days is to try and do more work to get students involved in CTE that are impacted by disabilities at an earlier age. 00:11:56.002 --> 00:12:10.732 As you or some of your listeners may know, a lot of times students that are in CTE programs are maybe not traditionally students going to college, or they're focused on a career instead of a college readiness, uh, type pathway. 00:12:11.452 --> 00:12:19.012 Uh, but they often keep students out that may or may not be able to achieve, uh, at high school. 00:12:19.657 --> 00:12:20.227 Levels. 00:12:20.647 --> 00:12:27.277 Uh, and that becomes a problem for a lot of students and it doesn't feel very inclusive, uh, for those students. 00:12:27.367 --> 00:12:41.707 And if a student has expressed interest in, uh, construction or engineering or flying a drone or cooking, they may not have access to these CTE programs because they're put into a special education pathway or they're 00:12:42.002 --> 00:12:45.152 in all of our years, she's never here with, 00:12:45.277 --> 00:12:47.377 uh, courses that most students do have 00:12:47.522 --> 00:12:48.362 is for the first 00:12:48.532 --> 00:12:50.167 So, yeah. 00:12:50.667 --> 00:12:57.627 Had that opportunity because she's had to have so many extra special ed type classes to support her. 00:12:57.987 --> 00:13:02.907 And this year we, this is basically how we made it happen. 00:13:03.237 --> 00:13:05.727 We said, look, we are fine with. 00:13:06.342 --> 00:13:25.782 The, um, English language arts requirements being fulfilled within her, uh, social studies class, um, because they didn't have a special ed teacher who could teach her during the period that she would've needed had she, uh, if she was taking this foods class. 00:13:25.842 --> 00:13:31.782 And man, she is just loving this class and it's so good for her and she's more interested in helping. 00:13:32.332 --> 00:13:42.982 Cook dinner at home and feels a great sense of accomplishment when she does that and is getting more confident just because she's participating in this and you're totally right. 00:13:42.982 --> 00:13:59.152 Because of her need for special ed classes, she hasn't been able to have these other experiences that, um, you know, a lot of other kids could participate in, and it's not that they were excluding her on purpose. 00:13:59.892 --> 00:14:31.042 The nature of her needing additional help in core areas and us prioritizing core areas over real life skills has definitely created a problem and I. What I'm seeing as a dad and what I'm hearing you explain is that you're trying to find a way to bring those real life experiences and real life job skills, uh, into their transition, transition services plan, so that they have a, a way to, to have both, and that it's not an either or Me too. 00:14:31.612 --> 00:14:32.392 Exactly. 00:14:32.392 --> 00:14:37.912 You know, I'm kind of saddened to hear about your daughter and her experiences, but she's not alone. 00:14:38.242 --> 00:14:39.142 She's not alone. 00:14:39.232 --> 00:14:40.222 Uh, unfortunately. 00:14:40.492 --> 00:14:49.012 And, uh, you know, there's a lot of folks that are meaning well and trying to make sure that students are able to meet their, uh, goals that are in their IEP. 00:14:49.807 --> 00:15:00.187 But sometimes that gets in the way of students being able to interact with their peers that are their neurotypical peers or their, uh, students that are non-disabled peers. 00:15:00.427 --> 00:15:05.917 Uh, so that's one of the accomplishments that we're trying to achieve here in Eugene. 00:15:06.367 --> 00:15:15.937 Um, one of the things that I started to do last year was I started to work with some of our transition programs because they asked me, they said, Hey, we've heard about this really. 00:15:16.267 --> 00:15:19.897 Cool program that you guys have in CTE in the district. 00:15:19.897 --> 00:15:21.157 It's called Future Build. 00:15:21.547 --> 00:15:29.287 Future Build is a program where students, um, were able to build a house for a community member in our community. 00:15:29.287 --> 00:15:33.877 They, uh, actually went out, uh, the district purchased a piece of land. 00:15:34.447 --> 00:15:35.887 They built a house. 00:15:35.887 --> 00:15:37.357 It's a pretty awesome program. 00:15:37.447 --> 00:15:44.677 Uh, this future build program, uh, is a centralized program that allows, um, students from across the district. 00:15:44.677 --> 00:15:56.707 'cause we have four comprehensive high schools in our district, and any student that is interested in construction and is interested in being involved in that career area is able to join this future build program. 00:15:56.917 --> 00:15:59.617 Uh, of course enrollment is limited, but you know. 00:15:59.917 --> 00:16:00.907 It's very popular. 00:16:01.327 --> 00:16:08.887 And, um, the students go to a site and they help, first of all build a house, uh, for a family. 00:16:09.037 --> 00:16:10.747 And that house was given away. 00:16:11.227 --> 00:16:19.717 Um, in addition, they've been building sheds to help, um, our unhoused community, um, have more stable housing. 00:16:20.047 --> 00:16:28.087 And so they've been building a, a series of sheds that are, um, kind of like what you might have heard of, like Conestoga huts or these, these house, um. 00:16:28.477 --> 00:16:34.057 House, uh, environments that are dry and warm and able to, to serve someone who is unhoused. 00:16:34.297 --> 00:16:39.757 So our school district is doing this in a centralized way, and they are. 00:16:40.342 --> 00:16:44.812 I'm interested in working with more of the students that are in our transition programs. 00:16:44.842 --> 00:17:01.222 So I was able to have conversations with the administrators that run that future build program, as well as the teachers that work in our transition programs and the administrators that work in the district office that help organize, uh, some of these projects. 00:17:01.552 --> 00:17:04.102 And they allowed some of our students that are in transition. 00:17:04.717 --> 00:17:09.817 Uh, services to access these programs even though they are out of high school. 00:17:10.177 --> 00:17:20.107 So we had students that were 18 to 21 that, um, started school this fall, uh, working on a job site that is this school site, which is just amazing. 00:17:20.467 --> 00:17:21.757 And the students. 00:17:22.222 --> 00:17:23.362 Really enjoy it. 00:17:23.632 --> 00:17:26.962 Um, they're as kind of like what you're talking about, about your, your daughter. 00:17:27.292 --> 00:17:28.912 Um, they were excited. 00:17:28.912 --> 00:17:31.882 They're building confidence, they're interacting with peers. 00:17:32.182 --> 00:17:34.762 Uh, they're building relationships. 00:17:34.762 --> 00:17:36.922 They're building skills that will help them. 00:17:36.922 --> 00:17:43.382 I. Uh, be employable in, uh, a job area that's similar to construction, if not construction itself. 00:17:43.502 --> 00:17:47.072 Um, and they just have gleaming confidence. 00:17:47.162 --> 00:17:51.722 Uh, so much so that some of the students were invited to a statewide transition conference to speak 00:17:51.917 --> 00:18:16.787 say confidence, and I mentioned that earlier and that is something that, um, we just as a side note, we in education have also, uh, made students not confident by doing so much for them, especially kids with disabilities and how, you know, my daughter can do a lot of things, and I've seen this with a lot of other students also. 00:18:16.787 --> 00:18:17.837 They can do a lot. 00:18:18.817 --> 00:18:29.277 But sometimes, and oftentimes it's easier to just not do the thing that we know they can do because they know somebody else is gonna take care of it for them. 00:18:29.577 --> 00:18:42.357 And, and so there's this idea of confidence, but then there's also this idea of I'll just let someone else take care of that for me, because I know that that's what they always do. 00:18:42.807 --> 00:18:44.457 And that's a real thing. 00:18:44.457 --> 00:18:46.887 And I, I love how what you're saying. 00:18:47.337 --> 00:18:57.477 Gets kids opportunities to be truly involved and do something, um, that is going to make an impact for them and also for others as well. 00:18:57.597 --> 00:19:05.637 Uh, you, I, I just think that's so important and it's such, it's such a small thing that it's so easy to overlook. 00:19:06.417 --> 00:19:16.077 But when you know these kids and you see what they're experiencing and see how they are changing and growing and adapting, it is, it is really powerful. 00:19:16.870 --> 00:19:21.760 Do you have any other examples of, of kids who are, who are doing some cool things? 00:19:22.260 --> 00:19:30.720 Yeah, well, I'll just tell you that, uh, there's um, some other students that are involved in, uh, like a rotation. 00:19:31.035 --> 00:19:32.535 In fact, that is another 00:19:32.580 --> 00:19:33.150 do you know anything 00:19:33.315 --> 00:19:33.975 daughter's school 00:19:34.170 --> 00:19:36.870 unified sports program that's run by the Special 00:19:36.945 --> 00:19:37.995 uh, basketball. 00:19:37.995 --> 00:19:42.075 So, uh, will you explain what that is a little bit and then share your story. 00:19:42.575 --> 00:19:42.965 Sure. 00:19:42.965 --> 00:19:43.175 Yeah. 00:19:43.175 --> 00:19:55.025 So Unified Sports, uh, are programs that are designed to include students that are athletes, uh, that typically are students who are impacted by a disability as well as, uh, partners. 00:19:55.205 --> 00:19:58.295 Uh, and these partners work with the athletes. 00:19:58.305 --> 00:20:03.585 To help them, uh, participate in sports, uh, and they actively. 00:20:04.385 --> 00:20:07.805 Teach and support each other in a classroom environment. 00:20:08.135 --> 00:20:10.025 That's a inclusive environment. 00:20:10.265 --> 00:20:16.745 So there might be a basketball class or there might be a volleyball class where students work together as a team. 00:20:17.255 --> 00:20:24.725 And there's a set of values that, uh, special Olympics has created to help, uh, teachers, um, understand this curriculum a little bit more. 00:20:25.115 --> 00:20:27.905 But typically there's two teachers that teach the class. 00:20:27.965 --> 00:20:32.645 Uh, there's a general education teacher that might be a PE teacher as well as. 00:20:32.890 --> 00:20:37.240 A special education teacher and maybe an instructional assistant or two in the room. 00:20:37.750 --> 00:20:41.440 But what happens in that experience is really magical. 00:20:41.590 --> 00:20:44.800 Uh, students build really strong relationships. 00:20:44.860 --> 00:20:51.580 Uh, they feel empowered, they feel, uh, excited about being on a team, like they've never been on a team before. 00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:54.310 Um, and they actually compete in Eugene. 00:20:54.310 --> 00:20:55.180 We're gonna be having. 00:20:55.205 --> 00:21:03.995 Um, some, uh, basketball games, uh, to compete against all the comprehensive high schools in the month of February, as well as in March. 00:21:04.865 --> 00:21:07.955 And like students are just really, really excited about it. 00:21:08.315 --> 00:21:12.755 So the unified sports program is actually larger than unified sports. 00:21:12.755 --> 00:21:15.935 So I'm kind of going off on a tangent here, but I'm trying to get back to it. 00:21:16.205 --> 00:21:20.735 So what you need to understand is that, um, there's classes that are taught that are unified. 00:21:21.335 --> 00:21:22.025 Programs. 00:21:22.415 --> 00:21:24.875 And there's also, um, competition. 00:21:24.875 --> 00:21:32.495 Sometimes schools don't have enough, uh, FTE or time to be able to actually offer courses, and so they offer offer afterschool programs. 00:21:32.855 --> 00:21:36.275 Uh, in our district right now, we have a unified robotics team. 00:21:36.875 --> 00:21:42.455 Uh, and there's a unified robotics team that's working, uh, after school doing a number of things. 00:21:42.605 --> 00:21:53.945 In addition, one of our high schools has decided to create a rotation, so they're having a unified program that includes different CTE programs, so they have. 00:21:54.215 --> 00:21:56.225 A unified sports program. 00:21:56.555 --> 00:22:01.085 They have a unified, uh, performing arts, uh, music program. 00:22:01.595 --> 00:22:10.745 And then they have a, uh, forestry unified program, and then they have a, um, like a robotics type program. 00:22:11.075 --> 00:22:19.595 So the students are going to, on a semester cycle, rotate between these four different programs in our community. 00:22:19.595 --> 00:22:22.355 So in a six week cycle. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:24.410 The students are going to join. 00:22:25.040 --> 00:22:31.340 Uh, a group of students and explore these different career areas over a semester. 00:22:31.790 --> 00:22:41.330 And boy, I'll tell you, the students are really excited about being involved and they're really excited about being with their peers and doing things that they just haven't ever had a chance to do. 00:22:41.360 --> 00:22:49.160 So that's the kind of stuff that we're doing to increase students' exposure to CTE to help them figure out more about what 00:22:49.175 --> 00:22:50.645 Well, and, and it's so 00:22:50.870 --> 00:22:52.430 just like every other kid. 00:22:52.535 --> 00:22:54.035 in, in your school. 00:22:54.035 --> 00:23:02.975 So if you don't have something like unified sports set up already, definitely uh, check out the link in the show notes about that because. 00:23:03.185 --> 00:23:12.635 It is, it, it is really powerful and I, I was back east, uh, in New England, and I believe it was in Connecticut, maybe New Hampshire. 00:23:12.725 --> 00:23:13.715 Honestly, I don't remember. 00:23:13.715 --> 00:23:14.765 I, I'm sorry about that. 00:23:14.765 --> 00:23:18.845 But they're, they do a lot with Unified, um. 00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:26.300 Sports as well, and it's a big part of, of what they do, uh, district wide over there. 00:23:26.300 --> 00:23:29.540 And, and it's pretty cool to see that kind of stuff happen. 00:23:29.540 --> 00:23:35.690 So, um, so those are other ways to, to help kids be involved. 00:23:35.810 --> 00:23:46.970 Um, and I believe, um, you, you, you have a story about a kid who started as a freshman in a charter school, uh, during the pandemic. 00:23:46.970 --> 00:23:47.990 Can you tell that story? 00:23:48.490 --> 00:23:49.540 Certainly just first 00:23:49.705 --> 00:23:50.035 Yeah. 00:23:50.035 --> 00:23:54.805 So there's a student, um, his name I think I can share. 00:23:54.805 --> 00:23:55.555 His name is Ryan. 00:23:55.975 --> 00:23:58.065 Uh, so yeah, just first name. 00:23:58.185 --> 00:23:58.335 Yeah. 00:23:58.845 --> 00:23:59.355 Anyways. 00:23:59.415 --> 00:24:08.055 Um, so Ryan, um, was a pretty troubled student and he had a lot of difficulty interacting with peers in this charter program. 00:24:08.055 --> 00:24:23.235 It was an outdoor, uh, outdoor school type program where students were really interacting while he didn't get along with others, and he had some problems with, um, interacting with peers and he ended up having to come back to the school district out of the charter program. 00:24:23.235 --> 00:24:23.295 So. 00:24:23.795 --> 00:24:26.675 We enrolled him in an alternative program. 00:24:27.155 --> 00:24:36.275 But the problem is, is that the alternative program didn't have enough services to really serve him, uh, in his needs with his disability. 00:24:36.755 --> 00:24:38.195 So he was challenged by that. 00:24:38.690 --> 00:24:46.820 Um, he had, um, a lot of extra tension and we were able to meet his goals, but it was a strain on the alternative school. 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:57.110 So we made a decision to have him move to one of our high schools, uh, the same high school where this, um, this cycle explore cycle was happening with CTE. 00:24:57.620 --> 00:25:02.240 Uh, and there's a program there that we have that's called the Transition Education Network. 00:25:02.900 --> 00:25:08.720 And the 10 program, or sometimes people call it tens 'cause they don't wanna get the number and the program confused. 00:25:09.170 --> 00:25:18.950 Uh, the 10 program, uh, provided him with a lot more focus on independence and on building his, his skills for life after high school. 00:25:19.520 --> 00:25:21.890 And he immediately, you know, blossomed. 00:25:22.280 --> 00:25:30.605 And in that process of figuring out what his preference and preferences and interests and strengths are, we discovered that he wanted to go into construction. 00:25:30.965 --> 00:25:43.430 I. And so we enrolled him in this program and he was able to go to, uh, the future build program for half of his day, um, several days a week. 00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:53.780 Uh, and so he's going up to this, uh, place where they do the future build construction, and he's, um, involved with his peers. 00:25:53.780 --> 00:25:55.310 He's interacting more. 00:25:55.670 --> 00:26:00.500 Uh, he's super excited about, um, construction itself and. 00:26:00.875 --> 00:26:15.065 He feels this, this sense of like self-worth and confidence that you just see when he's walking down the hall, which, uh, knowing what he was like when he was, um, a sophomore when I first started working with him is just like. 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:16.700 Night and day difference. 00:26:16.790 --> 00:26:19.520 Uh, he's found his calling, as some people say. 00:26:19.610 --> 00:26:21.290 He's just really excited about school. 00:26:21.290 --> 00:26:42.650 He's interested in being in that environment and, um, the connections that he's made are just really valuable for him, uh, as far as his future employability, as well as just a sense of confidence and communication skills that he's been able to build that he wouldn't have had an opportunity to do if he didn't have that kind of environment to help him interact 00:26:42.950 --> 00:26:43.610 powerful. 00:26:43.670 --> 00:26:44.090 And, 00:26:44.450 --> 00:26:46.430 Peers that are non-disabled. 00:26:46.940 --> 00:26:50.365 I, I think when we look at these situations, it's. 00:26:50.865 --> 00:27:02.025 It's so valuable to speak about individual students and what they're able to accomplish because each path for each student is very personal and unique to them. 00:27:02.445 --> 00:27:11.535 And when we can find ways to really support them in a, in a powerful way, then it is just, it's incredible and so inspiring. 00:27:12.375 --> 00:27:13.215 Um, Joel. 00:27:13.605 --> 00:27:17.415 I wanna thank you for being part of Transformative principle today. 00:27:17.565 --> 00:27:23.295 Um, any final words before we sign off about, uh, the work that you're doing there in Eugene? 00:27:23.795 --> 00:27:24.185 Sure. 00:27:24.185 --> 00:27:24.395 Yeah. 00:27:24.395 --> 00:27:26.975 I think, uh, just one other point I wanted to make is that. 00:27:27.320 --> 00:27:34.190 A lot of this work wouldn't happen without real collaboration, without real interest of administrators to support this idea. 00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:47.930 Uh, and without, uh, you know, the transition network facilitators from the state without principals that are interested in making changes and trying to create more inclusive, uh, environments and, and to have their teachers do more inclusive practices. 00:27:47.930 --> 00:27:51.350 So I think inclusive practices is the key thing here. 00:27:51.650 --> 00:27:56.150 General educators as well as special educators can really make a difference when they get together. 00:27:56.150 --> 00:28:23.360 I. Because it's not just about them sharing resources or supporting each other a little bit, uh, more with, uh, figuring out how to serve one student, but there's just this sense of connection and community that's created when we do inclusive practices well, that makes a difference for students and um, it's just very valuable for community in general, not just the school, but the larger community because these students, uh. 00:28:23.690 --> 00:28:27.410 Are part of our lives for a long time, and they're part of our community and 00:28:28.025 --> 00:28:31.475 Uh, my final question that I asked Joel is what is one thing that a 00:28:31.580 --> 00:28:32.420 in their community long 00:28:32.525 --> 00:28:35.915 this week to be a Transformative leader like you? 00:28:36.415 --> 00:28:38.695 Oh, sounds like a cart was just going by. 00:28:38.695 --> 00:28:40.665 I. Yeah, that's all good. 00:28:41.165 --> 00:28:41.675 Okay. 00:28:42.175 --> 00:28:44.935 Yeah, that's, I, that's why I didn't respond right away. 00:28:45.435 --> 00:28:47.385 And he's gonna get on the elevator here in a second, 00:28:47.385 --> 00:28:48.165 for sure. 00:28:48.405 --> 00:28:48.795 for a bit. 00:28:49.365 --> 00:28:49.755 Um, 00:28:50.255 --> 00:28:50.705 Yep. 00:28:50.975 --> 00:28:53.195 Well, it's been fine except for that little piece right 00:28:53.285 --> 00:28:53.495 out? 00:28:53.555 --> 00:28:57.495 But I told you I was in an open environment, so Yeah. 00:28:57.555 --> 00:28:57.915 Alright. 00:28:57.915 --> 00:29:01.995 He got on, so he's gonna close the elevator and then I'll respond. 00:29:02.145 --> 00:29:02.475 Okay. 00:29:02.835 --> 00:29:05.085 So, um, yeah, Jethro. 00:29:05.475 --> 00:29:16.515 I think the biggest thing is to make sure that you continue to convey the message that inclusivity and inclusive practices are important for all staff to be a part of. 00:29:17.235 --> 00:29:28.305 It's a team effort to make sure that everyone feels supported and like they have a path, and in order for that to happen, general education teachers, special education teachers. 00:29:28.845 --> 00:29:34.965 Principals all need to spend time with each other, really understanding what each other's roles are and that 00:29:34.965 --> 00:29:35.415 beautiful. 00:29:35.415 --> 00:29:37.935 Joel, thank you so much for being part of Transformative 00:29:37.965 --> 00:29:41.145 making sure that all of our students have a successful future.